


Pumpkin Spice

by AniseTokunaga



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, College AU, Humor, M/M, No-Homo Dilemma, Pumpkin Spice, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Stereotypes, Who tf knows, eventually smut, gay thoughts, honestly terrible, negative connotations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-18 01:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12378231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AniseTokunaga/pseuds/AniseTokunaga
Summary: “White preppy chicks drink that shit like it's crack. It's like, the white girl drug. They'll buy everything in that scent and flavor; is that the kinda dude you are?”A story in which Komaeda introduces Hinata to the world of pumpkin spice and stereotyping.





	Pumpkin Spice

**Author's Note:**

> I figured I'd better post this since it's officially fall time; most of this was written a whole year ago (not to mention I haven't written anything semi-serious since like... 2011), so bare with me as I struggle with writing and updating.
> 
> Some incidents will be based off of personal experience, I hope you enjoy.

Autumn was Komaeda's favorite season. If he set aside each main factor of what made up a particular season, he'd find that there's potentially less danger in luck when it comes to health and natural disasters. Spring, although similar in a sense of temperature, came with allergies, leftover chilling sickness (sometimes combined with snow and treacherous ice carrying over from the winter season), and the rain of so called “spring showers”. It wasn’t that autumn, however, didn’t have it's particular disadvantages, but he always felt considerably less at risk during these months. He couldn’t actually place exactly what it was, though… Perhaps it was something less associable with the many misfortunes of his life? Maybe. Maybe it was that his already low-risk hobbies felt more relaxing in the nice weather and atmosphere? It seemed a little too sentimental.

 

Thinking back, though, the atmosphere was a pretty big discerning factor for one of his favorite things about fall time. There were nights two semesters ago where he'd be reading or perhaps finishing up on an essay down at the campus coffee shop – mood lighting illuminating the quaint café in soft orange hues, calming and elegant. The aroma of coffee beans and seasonal spices would waft through the air, making the shop a cozy place to be on stressful school nights. That (scent, that is) leads into probably one of the biggest reasons Komaeda liked autumn, although he was hesitant to admit it because it doesn’t follow any factual basis other than personal attachment.

 

He liked pumpkin spice lattes.

 

It's his guilty pleasure, if you will. Komaeda always acknowledged the fact that he was indeed trash, but liking pumpkin spice lattes puts one on a whole other level of trash. An acquaintance had explained it to him once, when he mentioned the beverage in passing last fall: “White preppy chicks drink that shit like it's crack. It's like, the white girl drug. They'll buy everything in that scent and flavor; is that the kinda dude you are?” Not that he minded that people would judge him at all, but it did feel a little bit strange to be called “a white girl”, despite having pretty pale skin. He felt sympathy for those who were, apparently, senselessly judged for liking a particular flavored drink, and it was enough in itself that he never really mentioned it himself ever again…

 

…That is, until one particular incident.

 

It was a cloudy day, a day that proceeded after 3 whole days of rain, breeching into what felt like (and technically was) the fall season. Komaeda was early to rise, but couldn’t help the feeling of drowsiness swipe over his eyes in the dull light of his housing complex. Carefully balancing the risks in his mind, he figured he would benefit from going to get coffee or a latte of sorts to get him through the rest of the school day. It was only a brisk, quick walk over to the shop, but he took his bag in hand with him so he could head over to class once he was finished. His luck never factored in the chance that he'd run into anyone important that morning, nor did it factor in whether that interaction would be a turn for the worse, so when he heard a voice call for him while in line to order, he couldn’t hold back the look of bewilderment on his face.

  
  
“Komaeda, good morning.”

  
  
Hajime Hinata, one of the only people he could truly call a “friend” in the loosest sense possible, waved his hand in casual greeting. Komaeda quickly shut his mouth and returned the gesture with a beaming smile.

 

“Good morning, Hinata-kun. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

 

“Yeah, I just kind of felt in the mood for something today. What are you getting?”

 

Even though Hinata was genuinely inquisitive, Komaeda could almost feel himself break out into a cold sweat. _Oh my god, if I tell him what I'm really here to get, will he judge me? It's seemingly a pretty normal reaction; will I lose my friendship? …Is it truly too silly to worry over a flavor of drink?_ He seemed to have decided, so he said lowly, “I’m getting a pumpkin spice latte.”

There was silence for about two seconds, enough time for the white haired male to think up at least five possible routes of escape, before Hinata blinked and just replied, “Oh, I've never had that before. Maybe I'll try it.” Komaeda couldn’t help the look of pure shock and hint of confusion that contorted on his face. Hinata just made a face at him, eyebrows scrunching together. “What is it? Is it weird that I haven’t had it or something?”  
  
“No, of course not,” Komaeda reassured him, trying to shake his expression. “But, you know, I figured you of all people would know the… connotations of such a drink. In all honesty, I thought you’d make fun of me.”  
  
Hinata let out a little chuckle, presumably at his last statement. “What do you take me for, Komaeda? It's just a drink, and you're not… y'know.” He gestured vaguely at Komaeda.

 

 _I'm not a white girl._ The male in question figured that’s what Hinata meant.

 

“Really, it's not a big deal. How about I buy you one today? And I'll try it too, if it makes you feel any better,” Hinata offered, taking a step ahead of him.  
  
“Ah, I couldn’t allow you to do something as much as pay for someone like me, Hinata-kun,” he interjected, hands up in defense, but Hinata just shook his head.  
  
“No, I insist. Let me do it.” He took his wallet out of his pocket and stepped up as the last customer finished their order. Instantly, Komaeda recognized the girl working as the barista at the counter; it was Sonia Nevermind, a fairly popular girl in general, being a foreign exchange student and all. Her eyes lit up and she exchanged glances between Hinata and Komaeda.  
  
“Komaeda-kun, good morning! Who is it that’s with you today?” She smiled excitedly, the implied ‘ _you usually don’t hang around anyone_ ’ extremely obvious without her even saying it.  
  
“I’m Hajime Hinata. I'm a friend of Komaeda's here,” Hinata spoke smoothly, exchanging an energetic handshake with Sonia. “I’d like two pumpkin spice lattes for the both of us.” Immediately Komaeda's insides churned with uneasiness with Hinata's statement. The phrasing sounded so… so… Was _gay_ an appropriate word to use? The situation was so casual in reality, but to speak aloud that, yes, two male friends are going to a coffee shop and are buying _pumpkin spice lattes_ for each other sounded so oddly… _homosexual_. Not that Komaeda minded, particularly because he did like men, but dragging his only friend into such an absurd situation filled him with immense dread.  
  
And then Sonia decided to speak the unspoken sin, “Are you two on a date?” She asked it so innocently, not even understanding that she knew the underlying, odd phenomenon that was pumpkin spice + two dudes + weird phrasing = gay. Maybe this was completely normal where she was from? If anything, it was because her eyes seemed to be glued to Komaeda, like a possible encouragement of some sort, her own way of saying, “You’re gay, he's cute, do you like him?” Komaeda paled, if getting paler was even possible, and Hinata sputtered a little bit. It seems he finally understood exactly what he said.  
  
“No, what? We just happened to run into each other,” he said in defense, words running together. “I-it's literally just a drink! ”  
  
“Huh? Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to make weird assumptions or anything! Forgive me,” Sonia looked surprised. She gave them an apologetic smile, mainly in Komaeda's direction. “Anyways, that'll be $6.25.”  
  
Hinata handed her some bills hastily, and she gave him change in turn. He awkwardly crammed a couple of bills and some quarters into his pants pockets, refusing to look at Komaeda for what seemed to be a while, face flushed lightly and lips pursed shut. Komaeda had enough sense to keep his mouth shut, it seemed, although all he wanted to do is apologize profusely to fill in the awkward silence between them. The bad luck finally met the good luck that was running into Hinata-kun, and he could feel his soul sinking at the thought. It was a little too much time to be waiting in quiet coffee shop ambience, but it slowly but surely passed, leaving them with drinks in their hands and their feet out the door.  
  
They walked side by side on the sidewalk towards campus. Hinata spoke up first, surprisingly brave enough to let his voice escape. “It tastes good,” he said hoarsely after taking a sip; he cleared his throat. “I see what you mean now. About being made fun of.” Green eyes still wouldn’t look directly at him, pupils directed toward the pile of cream on his beverage and Komaeda could feel his embarrassment radiating from him.  
  
“Yeah… I'm sorry for putting you through all that… To be paired with trash like me, too.. That’s a pretty bad misconception.”  
  
“It’s not like that that, you’re not trash… I'm just…”  
  
_Not gay_? “Yeah. I'll make it up to you somehow, Hinata-kun. Perhaps next time I'll pay for whatever you need instead.”  
  
“Let’s just forget about it all,” Hinata said, biting his lower lip, but then jolted at what he said. “No, sorry. I know what you’re gonna say-- I'm definitely not abandoning you or anything, you’re my friend. It's just… I'm pretty embarrassed is all.” He let out a shy laugh and gave an apologetic smile to the white haired male, who was taken aback by his honesty. “A-anyways, I really gotta head to class now. See you later, Komaeda!” He flashed toothy grin, and started jogging ahead, drink in hand.  
  
Komaeda stared at Hinata in awe, his slim figure growing smaller and farther away as he ran. When finally Hinata turned into a speck in his vision, he took a sip of his latte. He grimaced.

 

It wasn’t iced.

 

Komaeda scoffed down at piping hot drink in his hand. Honestly, who would ever order a pumpkin spice latte hot? Scratch that, who ever makes one defaultly hot for a customer, when such advertisements for the drink always picture an iced venti topped with whip cream? It frustrated him in this odd sort of way, one only someone with a pumpkin spice latte complex would experience. He supposed he’d have to forgive Hinata-kun, however; it was the first time he’d ever gotten a drink like that…

 

...Still…

 

Taking a frustrated sip from his latte, Komaeda began a brisk walk to his first class for the day. _I’d better ask Hinata-kun out later so I can fix this mess properly_ , he thought to himself and then physically froze on the sidewalk, causing a small bit of discontent for the students walking around him.

 

Ask him out? He started to break out in a cold sweat. There was no way in hell he could do that, the cons of doing so swimming through his mind. _He could reject me as a friend, or laugh on my face, but, but… even worse, what if he accepts? Not that someone of his type would ever stoop to my level, even out of kindness, which I’m sure he would do for some others, but me? It would be an insult, not to mention the inevitable bad luck that would even HAPPEN at the date itself--_

 

“Hey, move out of the goddamn way!”

 

A particularly short man who was obviously in a hurry pushed Komaeda and ran ahead, leaving the taller male spinning for his balance. Unable to hold himself up, he fell onto the grass, books spilling, coffee cup jostled out of his hand and the liquid spewing all over the concrete below him.

 

A moment of silence.

 

Komaeda pursed his lips together, staring at remaining latte trickling out of the popped-off lid. This had to be fixed.


End file.
